Advice about requesting a variation CM s any help?

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It goes like this - I look after a friends 2 year old while our boys are in nursery for 2 hours, I am a CM btw, she has just had a baby and has asked me if I can look after twin 4 year old boys plus 2 year old daughter, got no problem with it except numbers My son is 4 and I also mind a 4 year old between 1 and 5 days a week, can only have 3 under 5, but would I get a variation because of them being twins and the 2 year old if I can prove i can cope and care effectively? Any help or past experiences greatly received as i would dearly love to help them out, both as a friend and a CM!! TIA

So would you have 4x4yos plus 2yo?

Hmm I'm not sure OFSTED would go for that

Are any of the 5yo attending 10 sessions of nursery education (& therefore a rising 5?)

I have heard of continuation of care.You can only try write to ofsted detailing how you would cope.When would they 4 year olds be starting school?? Maybe you could go for the route that its temporary??HTH

Yes it would be 4x4 yr olds not necessarily as the boy who I already have doesnt come every day so maybe not, all the 4 yr olds will start school in september so will only be may to end of august, maybe not even through august because of holidays etc, they all attend nursery 2 and a half hours every day, thanks for your replies.

Me again - if anyone has written a letter to request a variation any chance I could have a look at it please just to give me some idea what to write TIA again!!!!

No example I'm afraid (I'm a nanny not a childminder), but have helped other childminders do letters in the past.

You need to set things out Very Clearly. Make it as easy as possible for them to say Yes.
List every child involved including their full date of birth and age at start of variation, such as: Harry 14-Mar-03 (4yrs 1 month)
Indicate clearly the sibling relationships, so group children by family. Indicate clearly which child(ren) is NEW.

At the moment, I don't really understand what you are wanting exactly, as it isn't clear.

Your son is 4.
You currently mind a 4 year old in addition.
Your friend has 4 year old twins, 2 year old and baby?
You do not currently childmind for your friend?

Looks to me as that could be 5 under 5's.

How is your current registration phrased (knowing exact wording helps)? Is your son for example included or excluded from the under 5's figure? If attending 10 educational sessions then he can be excluded, but if attending 9 or less sessions, he's in ratio.

Feel free to contact me direct if you like, as to help you it does help me to know some more information which you may feel is too personal to post.

Google NannyNick to get my website which contains contact details, or send a CAT.

im applying for 4 under 5 once ive had this ispection as i have one 15 month old one day a week, one 1yr old on day a week, one 3 yr old full time and dd who is almost 4..i have request for friends LO 3 days a week, at moemt not clashing with other two aprt timers, but this may happen so will chance it with them..dd go's to reception jan and mindee who is 3 gos to school nursery sept..so...?

I've had three variations granted in total to allow me to have 4 under 5s, two of them were "proper" continuity of care, my current one is for new business!! I also don't really understand how many children you want to be minding - four or five? I cannot imagine Ofsted being OK with a variation for five children.

As Nannynick says, you need to give exact details - name of child (I only ever used Christian name, not surname) and their age/birthdate.

You need to say exactly what it is you want, eg. the hours/days you want to have the children. If you already mind a child from the family, then it is continuity of care, and say that this is for a friend as well.

I too am on my third variation for four under fives. Apparently there is no way that Ofsted will let anyone have 5 under fives without an assistant, even for continuity of care. Of the family I am currently minding, the eldest child (age 4) now has to be minded by my friend 2 days a week . She is quite happy, but it's a shame as I've had her from a baby. She will come back to me in Sept when she will be at school f/t though.
When I wrote my letter of request for another variation, I used christian names as TP suggests, and things like 'Family A' Family 'B' etc. I actually sent them a spreadsheet of who would be here when!

I will tryo to be clearer for you all.

My son is 4
Already mind 4 year old between 1 and 5 days a week depending on what work dad has,

Already look after 2 year old on a casual basis. She has 2x 4 yr old brothers (twins) and mum has new baby (1 week).

They want 1 day a week like this - have 2 year old from 9am - all 4 year olds in nursery untill 1130. then pick up my son, the twins, and the other boy if I have him that day, plus already having the 2 year old. Take them to mine have lunch, play etc till 230pm then twins and 2 year old home, so left with my son and other 4 year old, if i have him.

i guess from your replies I would need to say to the one I already mind (4 year old) that I can have him on the day I agree to have the others, then I might be in with a chance as it would only be 4 unders 4s not 5.
Plus all the 4 year olds will start school in September, so its only temporary, for about 4 maybe 5 months.
Thanks for all your advice help in this btw it is very much appreciated.

"I would need to say to the one I already mind (4 year old) that I can have him on the day I agree to have the others"

I presume you meant to write "can't have him on the day I agree to have the others".
Especially if the father is not paying for the place 5 days per week.

You really need the 4 year old who comes various days to fix their days, then you can show clearly on which days you would be caring for more children. Otherwise you need everyone to be flexible with their days, so that you can juggle things around so that you only need to apply for variation for 4 under 5's. If you need 5 under 5's then I feel you really need an assistant.

Do you have lots of experience caring for this number of children? Having 4 under 5's is quite difficult... especially when most are rather active 4 year old boys!

Full DayCare Ratios - 1:4 for 2 year old, 1:8 for 3-7, min of 2 members of staff. This is why childminders once they get to a certain number of children need an assistant. Thus in theory you could have one 2 year old and five 3 to 7's, if you had an assistant.

See Childminding Guidance 2004 page 5 for info about applying for more than 3 under 5's.

Good luck in applying.

Yes you were correct - thanks for all your help, I haven't looked after that many 4 year olds before, but 3 oiut of the 4 are not rough and tumble boys if you know what I mean and they all know each other and get on very well, if I did get the variation i am under no illusion it will be easy dont get me wrong!! I think I will talk to parents and see if it could be flexible, as you suggested so no-one misses out I cannot pin the dad down to certain days as his work is on a casual basis and that has always been our agreement, so would seem unfair, but maybe the others would be prepared to be flexible too and it might work if they gave me the variation!! I just wondered whether they would be more willing as mum has 4 children under 5 and needs some time out, I understand there doesnt seem to be any strict rules, as I have read others stories on her before so I will have to keep my fingers crossed!!! Nannynick thanks again for all your help may contact you to give my letter the once over when its done before i send!!!!